Apple’s mobile market share climbs in September

Apple’s iOS once again dominated the mobile OS market share picture in September, according to new data from Net Applications. The enterprise application maker and web monitoring company found that iOS accounted for 54.65 percent of mobile market share, up from just over 53 percent in August.

The numbers mean that Apple’s iOS devices (including the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad) together make up more than half of all web use originating from mobile devices. This is especially impressive when you consider that Apple’s mobile market share when measured strictly by device sales puts it well beyond Android, which powers smartphones and tablets from a wide range of manufacturing partners in more global markets.

Android, in contrast, accounted for only 16.26 percent of overall mobile web access in September, although that’s up slightly from August, when it was responsible for 15.98 percent. RIM’s BlackBerry platform lags behind at 3.29 percent.

What do these numbers mean? Basically, Apple device users seem to be much more prone to using their devices to access the mobile web. That’s also backed up by Apple’s continued dominance in mobile browser market share, where Safari ruled in September with 55.59 percent of all mobile browser impressions.

Usage stats are a good place for Apple to lead; it means customers are comfortable and happy with the experience that iOS provides, which should lead to greater loyalty and repeat business. It also means Apple is better able to woo developers and advertising partners, who recognize that the best mobile OS is the one most able to capture a user’s attention.